Method of assembling a plastic locking device with a surface material

ABSTRACT

A method of assembling a plastic locking device with a surface material, wherein a side-open female button, riveting elements and a surface material are assembled, which includes the steps of: providing through holes on peripheries of the female button, and providing a protruded locking slot on a plate body of the female button; providing holes on the surface material; overlapping the through holes of the female button on the holes of the surface material; transfixing the riveting elements into the through holes of the female button and the holes of the surface material; and using a punch pin to pressurize and rivet for riveting and connecting the female button with the surface material thereby firmly assembling the female button to the surface material.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

a) Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a method of assembling a plastic locking device with a surface material, and more particularly to a method, whereby a plastic locking device can be assembled with a surface material without sewing, which enables the locking device after being assembled to be pasted on a surface of the surface material, for achieving an invisible-like function and improving visual beauty of an external surface. Moreover, as there are no pinpricks of sewing, water can be prevented from permeating into the sewing places.

b) Description of the Prior Art

For a conventional backpack, bag, or cloth cover, a water-proof surface material should be always installed with a plastic locking device for insertion and assembling. Referring to FIG. 1, in a conventional technique, a section of shorter woven belt 10 is transfixed into a slot hole 21 at an end of a plastic female button 20. After the woven belt 10 has been passed through that end, it is folded reversely and sewed with a plurality of seams 11 to be firmly assembled at this end part A. In addition, the other end of the woven belt 10 is attached on a surface of the surface material 30 in flat, and is also sewed with a plurality of the seams 12 to fix this end part B. Accordingly, the surface material 30 can be surely assembled with the female button 20. However, the female button 20 is suspended and exposed at an exterior of the surface material 30, and hence entire beauty of appearance is inferior, which will affect the appearance of the backpack, bag, or cloth cover easily. Therefore, it is necessary to improve.

On the other hand, in the locking method in FIG. 1, small through-holes will occur at the pinpricks of seams 11, 12, prohibiting the water-proof surface material 30 to achieve an effective water-proof function. As rain will enter following pores of these pinpricks, a shortcoming of insufficient water-proof capability is resulted.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the primary object of present invention is to provide a method of assembling a plastic locking device with a surface material, such that entire appearance can be more beautiful after the plastic locking device has been assembled with the surface material.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a method of assembling a plastic locking device with a surface material, so as to provide a better water-proof effect without installing pinpricks of sewing at peripheries of the locking device.

Accordingly, the methods of assembling the plastic locking device with the surface material include:

-   -   (1) A side-open female button, peripheries of which are provided         with through-holes, is used; and the surface material to be         attached is also provided with holes. Each through-hole on the         female button is overlapped on the hole of the surface material,         riveting elements are transfixed into the through-holes of the         female button and the holes of the surface material from top to         bottom, and then a punch pin is used for riveting and finishing,         in order to assemble the side-open female button on the surface         material firmly.     -   (2) A side-open female button, which is made by zinc, and         peripheries of which are protruded downward with pillars, is         used; and the surface material to be attached is also provided         with holes. Each pillar which is protruded on the female button         is transfixed into the hole of the surface material, and a         pressing plate, which is made by zinc, and peripheries of which         are provided with hollow tubes, is prepared, such that after the         pillar which is protruded on the female button has been         transfixed into the hole of the surface material, each hollow         tube is sheathed into the pillar, and pressurizing equipment is         used to interruptedly match the pillar with an inner wall of the         hollow tube for assembling, thereby firmly assembling the         side-open female button on the surface material.     -   (3) A side-open female button, peripheries of which are provided         with penetrated filling slots, is first made by a plastic         injection molding. A bonding material is injected on the filling         slots at the peripheries of the female button to form an outer         bar, and the bonding material to be used can be PU         (Polyurethane), TPU (Thermoplastic Urethane), EVA (Ethylene         Vinyl Acetate), or PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate). The surface         material to be attached does not need to have holes, but should         be chosen from a plastic material for a high-frequency         finishing; for example, a pure PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride)         material, or any soft or hard leather, synthetic leather, and         plastic fiber cloth which contains more than 30% of the PVC         material, can all be assembled with a locking device made by the         PU, TPU, EVA, or PET material, with the high-frequency         finishing. The aforementioned surface material to be attached         and the locking device are fused together in high temperature,         enabling the outer bar of the bonding material on the female         button to be overlapped on the surface material. Then, a         stamper, which can release the high frequency for finishing, is         used to result in high temperature between the bonding material         and the surface material for forming fusion. In addition, a         bottom end of the surface material is lined with a bed die.         Therefore, the side-open female button can be firmly assembled         on the surface material to be attached with the high-frequency         finishing. In this embodiment, the surface material to be         attached contains the pure PVC material or a material with more         than 30% of PVC. On the other hand, fiber material which         contains nylon can be also used for the surface material to be         attached, for assembling with the plastic locking device by         using the high-frequency finishing. To enable a further         understanding of the said objectives and the technological         methods of the invention herein, the brief description of the         drawings below is followed by the detailed description of the         preferred embodiments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of a conventional female button being assembled on a surface material.

FIG. 2 shows an exploded view of a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 shows a schematic view of a first embodiment of the present invention which is combined with a male button after being assembled.

FIG. 4 shows a side view of a first embodiment of the present invention which is combined with a male button after being assembled.

FIG. 5 shows an exploded view of a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 shows a schematic view of a blow-up of a hollow tube of a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6A shows a top view of a hollow tube of a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 shows a schematic view of a second embodiment of the present invention which is combined with a male button after being assembled.

FIG. 8 shows a side view of a second embodiment of the present invention which is combined with a male button after being assembled.

FIG. 9 shows an exploded view of a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 shows a schematic view of a third embodiment of the present invention which is combined with a male button after being assembled.

FIG. 11 shows a side view of a third embodiment of the present invention which is combined with a male button after being assembled.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIGS. 2 to 4, a side-open female button 40 is first pre-built from a plastic injection molding. Peripheries of the female button 40 are provided with through-holes 41, a plate body of the female button 40 is provided with a protruded locking slot 53, and a surface material 31 to be attached is provided with holes 32. Each through-hole 41 on the female button 40 is overlapped on the hole 32 of the surface material 31, riveting elements 50, 51 are transfixed into the through-holes 41 of the female button 40 and the holes 32 of the surface material 31 from top to bottom, and a punch pin 60 is used to pressurize and rivet, such that the riveting elements 50, 51 can rivet and connect the female button 40 with the surface material 31 from top to bottom, thereby firmly assembling the side-open female button 40 on the surface material 31 (as shown in FIG. 4). After implementing this finishing method, the side-open female button 40 can be fixed on a surface of the surface material 31, and protruded thickness of a locking device after assembling will be very thin, which facilitates a male button 70 to insert and lock from the locking slot 53.

Referring to FIGS. 5, 7, and 8, a side-open female button 42 is first pre-built from a plastic injection molding. The female button 42 is made by zinc, peripheries of the female button 42 are protruded downward with pillars 43, and a surface material 31 to be attached is provided with holes 32. Each pillar 43 which is protruded on the female button 42 is transfixed into the hole 32 of the surface material 31, and a pressing plate 44, which is made by zinc, and peripheries of which are provided with hollow tubes 45, is prepared. After the pillars 43 protruded on the female button 42 have transfixed into the holes 32 of the surface material 31, each hollow tube 45 is sheathed into the pillar 43. As shown in FIGS. 6 and 6A, an inner wall of the hollow tube 45 of the pressing plate 44 is provided with locking blocks 61 which are protruded toward a center of the tube 45, and pressurizing equipment is used to interruptedly match the pillar 43 with the locking blocks 61 on the inner wall of the hollow tube 45 for assembling, thereby firmly assembling the side-open female button 42 on the surface material 31.

Referring to FIGS. 8 to 10, a side-open female button 46 is first pre-built from a plastic injection molding, and peripheries of the female button 46 are provided with penetrated filling slots 47. The peripheries of the female button 46 are first processed with the plastic injection molding, and the filling slots 47 are assembled with a ring of outer bar 48 of bonding material (can contain PU, TPU, EVA, or PET material). A surface material 33 to be attached does not need to have holes, but should be chosen from a plastic material which is similar to the outer bar, such as a pure PVC material, or any soft or hard leather, synthetic leather, and plastic fiber cloth which contains more than 30% of PVC (can contain PU, TPU, EVA, or PET material). The outer bar 48 of the bonding material on the female button 46 is overlapped on the surface material 33 to be attached, and then a stamper 49 which can release high frequency for finishing is used to result in high temperature between the outer bar 48 of the bonding material and the surface material 33 for forming fusion. In addition, a bottom end of the surface material 33 is lined with a bed die (not shown in the drawings). Therefore, the side-open female button 46 can be firmly assembled on the surface material 33 at a position of the outer bar 48 of the bonding material, with the high-frequency finishing. In this embodiment, fiber material which contains nylon can be also used for the surface material to be attached, for assembling the plastic locking device by using the high-frequency finishing.

Accordingly, in the present invention, different manufacturing approaches are used to firmly assemble the plastic locking device on the surface material in flat, so as to improve beauty of appearance after assembling the plastic locking device, facilitate an insertion and assembling of a male button, arid enable the assembling of female buttons in manufacturing a backpack, bag, or cloth cover product to be more beautiful for improving quality of the products. Furthermore, the female button of present invention is assembled without sewing, and hence is provided with an advantage of better water-proof capability. 

1. A method of assembling a plastic locking device with a surface material, wherein a side-open female button, riveting elements and a surface material are assembled, comprising steps of: providing through holes on peripheries of said female button, and providing a protruded locking slot on a plate body of said female button; providing holes on said surface material; overlapping said through holes of said female button on said holes of said surface material; transfixing said riveting elements into said through holes of said female button and said holes of said surface material; and using a punch pin to pressurize and rivet for riveting and connecting said female button with said surface material thereby firmly assembling said female button to said surface material.
 2. A method of assembling a plastic locking device with a surface material, wherein a side-open female button, a pressing plate and a surface material are assembled, comprising steps of: making said female button by zinc; providing downwardly extending pillars on peripheries of said female button, providing a locking slot on a plate body of said female button; providing holes on said surface material; providing hollow tubes on peripheries of said pressing plate; transfixing said pillars protruded on said female button into said holes of said surface material, sheathing said hollow tubes into said pillars; using pressurizing means to interruptedly match said pillar with locking blocks on an inner wall of said hollow tubes for assembling.
 3. The method of assembling a plastic locking device with a surface material as claimed in claim 2, wherein said pressing plate is made of metal.
 4. The method of assembling a plastic locking device with a surface material as claimed in claim 2, wherein said locking blocks are protruded toward a center of said hollow tubes.
 5. A method of assembling a plastic locking device with a surface material, wherein a side-open female button and a surface material are assembled, comprising steps of: providing penetrated filling slots on peripheries of said female button, and processing peripheries of said female button with plastic injection molding and assembling said filling slots with a ring of outer bar; choosing a plastic material which is similar to said outer bar to form said surface material which does not need to have holes; overlapping said outer bar of bonding material on said surface material; using a stamper to release high frequency for finishing to result in high temperature between said outer bar of bonding material and said surface material for forming fusion; lining a bottom end of said surface material with a bed die thereby firmly assembling said female button on said surface material at a position of said outer bar of bonding material with high frequency finishing.
 6. The method of assembling a plastic locking device with a surface material as claimed in claim 5, wherein said outer bar contains PU, TPU, EVA or PET material.
 7. The method of assembling a plastic locking device with a surface material as claimed in claim 5, wherein said surface material is selected from a pure PVC material, or any soft or hard leather, synthetic leather, and plastic fiber cloth which contains more than 30% of PVC. 